Cry Red

Following in the muddy footsteps of Senator McCarthy, a new publication called "The Freeman" is pasting the Communist label on everyone in sight. The writers of this magazine, which is described elsewhere on this page, have discovered the old trick of associating groups they personally dislike with something the public doesn't like. McCarthy used this ruse for political gains; "The Freeman" uses it to disguise a worn out policy of retreatism.

Having gone back to the 1920's for its diplomatic views, the magazine then returns to the middle 19th century for its definition of the word "liberal." Therefore when the writer claims to be struggling for "traditional liberalism" he means "economic liberty" of the extreme laissez-faire school, not the connotations of civil and personal liberties that most people mean today. The most reactionary political ideas are thus described as in tune with the liberal tradition.

By throwing up its smokescreen of Red charges and smears about our own and allied governments, "The Freeman" hinders the fight against Communism rather than aiding it. By twisting the meanings of commonly accepted words, the magazine distorts them until they come to mean almost nothing. But worse than the smears or distortions is the fact that there are enough people in this country to support such a magazine.